THE VOICE OF GENERATIONS
THE VOICE OF GENERATIONS In the world of psychology, it is a given that the sense of smell is the most evocative of prior experiences. Who am I to dispute the science? But if sense of smell is number one, for me, the sense of hearing is a close second. I can hear a horn,…
RACISTS IN OUR MIDST
RACISTS IN OUR MIDST Colin Kaepernick is on the cover of this week’s Time Magazine. Did he win a Super Bowl, or save a drowning baby? No. He merely took a knee. A small gesture, no larger or physically more significant than raising a gloved hand to the sky. But sometimes small gestures have a…
7 Innings is Perfect…Enough
I have previously written about the excitement and anticipation of sitting in the stands watching a no-hitter. How the crowd holds its collective breath on every pitch; how the fielders focus their attention just a little more; how the manager wears a hole pacing the dugout. For those of you paying attention to my prior…
WHO’S THE BOSS
WHO’S THE BOSS You agree to guarantee an employee nearly 10% of your company’s valuation. You – and your industry – put that employee on a pedestal, and for good reason, as by all verifiable measures, that employee is the best in the world at what he does. Some fear that that employee verges on…
NO HITTER NO MORE
NO HITTER NO MORE A little over a year ago I wrote about what I truly love about baseball, the two strike pitch. Nothing can really top that. However, last night at Dodger Stadium, I witnessed a close second. In July of 1991, on a hot Sunday afternoon, I was lucky enough to watch “El…
A-ROD NOT THE VILLAIN
A-ROD NOT THE VILLAIN The rain cleared, the game ended, the chanting stopped, and the door closed. Last Friday night, A-Rod said goodbye to the Bronx; and the Bronx said goodbye to one of the most polarizing athletes in the history of the sport. Love him or hate him, A-Rod had a storied (steroid?) career. …
MOUND BALL
MOUND BALL Before he took some flak for assaulting/accosting a fan the other night, Joey Votto took some flak for denying batting gloves to a kid sitting behind the dugout at AT&T Park. Votto’s told the kid that he was sitting in the front row, he is elite, and didn’t need the swag. We can debate the…
MORALITY vs. IMMORTALITY
MORALITY vs. IMMORTALITY The Mets won their first pennant in 15 years last season. They had high hopes for this year. And then the cornerstone of their franchise – and their infield – went down with a season-ending injury. What is a contender to do? The Cubs haven’t won a playoff game since 2003 (cue,…
THE JOY OF OWNERSHIP
So you want to own a baseball team? Who doesn’t? We sit in the stands, we sit on the couch, we think we have all the answers. More cogent player personnel decisions, check. A more efficient parking system at the stadium, check. Cheaper beer, of course. A better variety of food, done. Fire that damn…
KEEPING SCORE
KEEPING SCORE We all know the old adage: The difference between a .250 hitter and a .300 hitter is a hit a week. One minor duck fart, quark, Baltimore Chop, Texas Leaguer, or frozen rope per week, and a guy is on his way to All-Star games and the possibility of mega-riches; one less and…